Pediatric appendectomy outcomes at a community hospital compared to national outcomes

Pediatric appendicitis is a common surgical emergency seen in every hospital. In community hospitals lacking pediatric surgeons, general surgeons with various subspecialty training often manage these cases. We aimed to assess the safety and outcomes of pediatric appendectomies performed by general surgeons at our institution and compare them to national data.

A retrospective review of 235 pediatric appendectomies performed over four years was conducted. Outcomes evaluated included patient demographics, length of stay, postoperative complications, and readmissions. Results were compared to three national studies examining pediatric versus general surgeon outcomes.

The mean age was 12.5 years (range 4-17); 85 were female and 151 were male. Mean hospital length of stay was 2.52 days. Complicated appendicitis occurred in 14.04%, with rates of perforated (10.68%), gangrenous (3.83%), and abscess-forming appendicitis (3.83%). There were 9 readmissions and 6 postoperative complications. Compared to national data, our rates of complications, readmissions, and length of stay were comparable or favorable.

Pediatric appendectomy performed by general surgeons with diverse subspecialty training in a community hospital setting is safe, with outcomes comparable to national benchmarks. Avoiding patient transfer may reduce healthcare costs and optimize resource utilization.